NEWPORT Gwent Dragons centre Tyler Morgan is inching closer to fitness as he recovers from a knee injury, writes Chris Kirwan.

The 19-year-old was called up by Warren Gatland for Wales' Six Nations campaign only to be unable to play a full part in training after reporting for duty with a knee problem.

Morgan first suffered a knee injury against the Ospreys in the second week of the season and it flared up again in November, forcing him to spend a month on the sidelines.

The Welsh Rugby Union medical staff sought the advice of a specialist and the teenager is now progressing well, tweeting: "Nice to put the boots back on and get running again after five weeks, don't know what's happened to my lungs though".

A WRU statement read: "Tyler has been progressing through a period of rehabilitation with the WRU National Squad medical team following a knee injury he sustained prior to the RBS Six Nations campaign.

"His rehabilitation plan has been constructed in conjunction with the Dragons medical team and he continues to make excellent progress.

"An elongated period of rehabilitation was preferred due to the nature of the injury and also taking into account Tyler's age.

"The longevity of a player's career is always taken into account when constructing the rehabilitation schedule."

The news will come as a boost to the Dragons given that the European Rugby Challenge Cup quarter-final with Cardiff Blues is less than a month away.

Morgan was hugely influential in earning a home tie by starring in the wins against Newcastle and Stade Francais that led to them topping Pool Three.

His return will be a boost to the Dragons as Ross Wardle (shoulder) and Pat Leach (knee) are currently sidelined, leaving them down to their last fit centres in Ashley Smith and Pat Leach with Ebbw Vale's Carl Meyer and wings Tom Prydie and Matthew Pewtner as back-up.